Images of uses of old stained glass windows in new homes

Traditionally the purpose of windows, and stained glass windows specifically, is to let light into a building, and allow those inside to look out. The beautiful old and antique stained glass windows that I sell are used for a much wider range of purposes.

Enjoy having a look through my customers’ ideas for renovating, decorating or just adding to their homes – there are more if you click on the links in several of the sections (I have years’ worth of photos to share with you!). The uses for stained glass that I have identified here are Internal partitions, Above door, Ceiling, Wall art, Suncatchers, Furniture and Cupboard doors. This is one of my Customer reuse ideas pages.

Internal partitions

Two identical stained glass windows in a wall - vertical and rectangular, containing a sun with sunrays rising above green hills, and a brick wall, with blue sky and clouds above — Bill – Glasgow, UK. (R513), 2018

Stained glass panels are a great way to get light into rooms that don’t have any (or many) external windows. This type of partition is often referred to as a stud wall. I have many customer pictures of this type of installation on my Internal partitions page, including before and after shots for Bill’s sun bursts.

Above door

Lots of houses have a wooden panel above internal doors, where traditionally there would have been stained glass, or space for it.

Andrew bought this window from me and installed it above this door in Muswell Hill, North London:

A frameless leaded stained glass window, with a vibrant floral design in the centre, of blue, green, yellow and red — R694b

A floral stained glass window above a white wooden door — R694b

Andrew said “Everyone is really pleased…fits perfectly”.

Abstract floral

Fiona bought this simple but effective panel:

An abstract stained glass window, red and green in colour, above a door — Fiona, Borough Green, UK (2017)

A different kind of above door?

This window is a bit smaller than a standard above door window, but still very effective:

Floral stained glass window, in orange, red, green and yellow, above a door — Krystyna – Illinois, USA (R961a), 2020

Above French doors

This set of three floral windows looks pretty impressive as it is…

Three white wooden framed stained glass windows with a floral design running through all three panels — R731

…it’s even better above Bill’s French doors in Texas:

Above French windows / doors are three white wooden framed stained glass windows with a floral design running through all three panels — Bill – Texas, USA. (R731), 2019

Browse my above door page for options available for purchase now.

Ceiling

I’ve only had one customer do this so far (that I know of anyway), but isn’t it amazing! A stained glass skylight:

This is a similar top light window to the one Mark bought from me:

Leaded stained glass with pearl roundels in a bay window top light white wooden frame — R766d

Wall art

Paintings and photographs are hung on the walls of many rooms, and look great. But how about adding stained glass windows to your interior design art work?

Sunshine in the living room

A living room, with armchairs at the sides, a light in the corner, a fireplace in the centre, with tv and photos on the mantlepiece, There are two wooden framed sunray stained glass windows displayed on the wall, on either side of the fireplace. — R638b

What I like about Carla’s photo is the contrast between new and old. Carla has mounted the window sashes exactly as I sent them, rustic – she has not repainted the frames. She also chose an Art Deco design which I think suits the linear arrangement of everything in the room.

Sun burst windows like this are always popular. If they’re something you like the look of, browse my collection of currently available sunrays.

A flower on the wall

This floral window is originally from a house in Streatham, South London. Jen bought it and I shipped it to her, where it is now hung in Connecticut, USA:

A white wooden framed rectangular horizontal floral stained glass window, with a red flower surrounded by blue and greens — A1204c

On a white pained wooded planked wall hangs a floral stained glass window — A1204c

Note that Jen hasn’t refurbished the wooden frame; I like the rustic chipped paintwork contrasting with Jen’s immaculate wall.

A clear glass cross

I rescued a set of clear windows, which contain a variety of textured glass, from Heworth, York, and photographed these horizontally as was the original orientation.

A colourless white wooden framed textured glass window, in a cross pattern — A1380a.

John bought two of them and turned them on their side, to create this beautiful display in Indiana, USA:

Two vertical colourless white wooden framed textured glass windows, with cross patterns, hanging next to each other in a grey wall, above a chest of drawers — John – Indiana, USA, (A1280a), 2022

These windows demonstrate the fact that leaded lights can be so effective even when they don’t contain any stained glass and that geometric designs can have multiple orientations. Browse through my Clear and plain category to see what’s available now.

A yellow flower

I acquired a set of floral windows, from Ashtead, South West of London, and Estzer bought one to display on her wall on the other side of London, in Barnet:

A white wooden framed floral stained glass window - a yellow and red flower with green leaves — R1017

A wooden framed floral stained glass window, displayed on a wall above a sofa and shelves — R1017

Above a fireplace

This window, which contains so much detail, looks significantly different in its new home above a fireplace. It’s the kind of glass that would look amazing anywhere of course…

A vertical horizontal frameless stained glass window, featuring red flower and green leaves spread across the class The background is different coloured squares, and there are blue and yellow borders. — R163a

A floral white wooden framed stained glass window, featuring red flowers , displayed above a fireplace — R163a

I have a few more examples of stained glass used as art on other pages: see also Climbing the stairs and A view at the top.

Suncatchers

You’ll often see little stained glass suncatchers sold at events – some better made than others! Whether designed as a suncatcher, or a repurposed window, I have many examples and suncatchers for sale. My customers have placed stained glass in their windows, on window sills and hanging.

A white wooden framed stained glass window, with a heart motif, is displayed in a window, next to music system and speakers on top of wooden furniture, and a Bruce Springsteen poster on the wall. — Rosanne – Medford, MA, USA (R955), 2020

To see more stained glass windows used as suncatchers, including before and after photos browse the Suncatchers – inspiration page.

Furniture

My customers definitely do some innovative things with their stained glass, and integrating windows into furniture is one of those things.

Bedside table

I rescued this sun burst window, as part of a set from a house in Carshalton, South London. Elisa bought it and turned it into a table!

A white wooden framed sun burst stained glass window — R123

A white wooden framed sunray stained glass window, with legs on each corner, making it a table. The pattern and yellow colour of the glass is reflected onto the carpet below — R123

Have a look at the sunrays in stock and top light pages if you’re considering doing something similar.

Headboard

Ash had a stained glass panel made to order by one of my associates and integrated it into a bed headboard!

See my Made to order – referrals page to find out how you could do the same.

I look forward to adding to this section as my customers come up with more innovative ideas. Anyone fancy creating bookshelves with a stained glass element? Or perhaps a chest of drawers?!

Cupboard doors

Stained glass can add a decorative element to cupboards all over people’s homes.

Hiding away the essentials

Electricity and gas meters can be a bit unsightly. Jason had the ingenious idea to cover his with this floral top light window:

An electricity metre in a small white wooden cupboard, with an open door which is a white wooden framed floral stained glass with a green and yellow border. — Jason – Barnet, UK., 2017

I particularly love the green border on this window.

A round rose

Katia chose this round portal window with a rose feature, and I shipped it to her in Estonia:

A round floral stained glass window with a pink rose and green leaves, in a square wooden frame. — R680

In a brick wall, beyond a wooden floor is a wooden cupboard door with a round floral stained glass window in it. — R680

If you like the look of round windows, see the Curved category for current availability.

Cabinet

Katia in Estonia also enhanced this beautiful cabinet:

Exploring further

I’m wondering if there are new locations I haven’t seen yet? How about a laundry room? Or an airing cupboard filled with sheets and towels?

This is one of many pages with examples of stained glass that I have sold, now in a new home. To see them all, explore Customer reuse ideas.

I add new treasure to my website regularly, in various categories. Explore the categories on the homepage and sign up to my mailing list for occasional curated updates.

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Uses for stained glass – inspiration

Internal partitions